Send page to a Friend Action Opportunities   General Social Justice General Social Justice Jewish Educational Materials General Education Resources Action Opportunities   The ways that congregations can get involved in social justice work range from participating in a discrete on-going service project to organizing an advocacy campaign changing state or federal legislation. Volunteer service and donations are invaluable to the operations of social service organizations. We also encourage synagogues to get involved in advocacy and organizing campaigns that are geared towards creating the system that will contribute to societal justice. Below is a list of direct service opportunities and information about advocacy that will help synagogues take meaningful, sustained action. Service Opportunities The following groups serve as clearinghouses and facilitate service opportunities for synagogue groups: Boston Cares provides access to diverse, high quality volunteer opportunities and services for those who can offer short or irregular time-commitments but wish to make a positive impact on individuals and communities. To find group or individual opportunities, contact the staff at http://www.bostoncares.org/contact. Cradles to Crayons works to enhance the lives of low-income children up to age 12 by collecting and distributing, free of charge, new and “gently used” children’s items such as strollers, car seats, clothing, books, toys and arts and crafts supplies. Cradles to Crayons works with organizations that hold drives throughout the year. They collect the donated items, inspect them to ensure that they are safe and in good working condition and then distribute them to children in need through organizations serving children and their families. To get involved with Cradles to Crayons, please contact them at 617-471-8417 or email Barbara@cradlestocrayons.org. Their website can be found at http://www.cradlestocrayons.org/. The Greater Boston Jewish Coalition for Literacy (GBJCL), a program of the Jewish Community Relations Council is a coalition of 60 Jewish organizations, synagogues, day schools and campus Hillels who have joined together to improve children’s literacy through tutoring, book drives and advocacy. The GBJCL was established based on the principle that reading is fundamental to advancement in our society. Included in the efforts of the GBJCL is the Jewish Youth Literacy Corps, which engages teens in literacy tutoring through their day schools, youth groups or synagogues. For information on GBJCL’s tutoring program, click here. Jewish Community Volunteer Program (JCVP) is a clearinghouse for action opportunities matching interests, skills and availability with a wide range of volunteer jobs in the Jewish and Greater Boston communities. In addition, JCVP functions as a volunteer center, providing consultation, training and resources to individuals, groups, and agencies. A program of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, it can be found at http://www.cjp.org under “volunteering.” Jewishservice.org is a network of organizations that enable youth and adults to engage in service domestically and around the world. The Massachusetts Service Alliance is a non-profit state commission for service that aims to create stronger communities and more active citizens by facilitating volunteer opportunities in this state. They sponsor many different projects, and produce a citizen service guide, which lists organizations needing volunteers, as well as a lending library of resources related to social justice. http://www.msalliance.org. Servenet.org also allows lay leaders to set up group profiles and search for volunteer opportunities by type of project and age of volunteers. Go to http://www.servenet.org. Teens for Tzedek (a program of TeenJCC) is a year-round program that provides teens with a Jewish context for working together to improve the quality of life for others in the community and the world beyond. Teens for Tzedek is the pilot site of Jewish Youth Literacy Corps (a program of JCRC and the Greater Boston Jewish Coalition for Literacy). In addition to the weekly literacy program, Teens for Tzedek offers a variety of social justice opportunities on Sundays and weeknights throughout the year with projects that include service, learning, and advocacy. Teens for Tzedek also offers a summer exchange program that brings together Boston and Haifa teens through community service, social justice workshops, Jewish living, touring, and fun! For more information about Teens for Tzedek, contact (617) 558-6512 or tzedek@jccgb.org. Volunteermatch.org allows users to search for opportunities by zip code, and highlights opportunities available for youth and groups. Volunteersolutions.org unites potential volunteers with non-profits. A lay leader can establish the types of service his or her synagogue group is interested in participating in, and will receive email notification of when such opportunities become available. United Way of Massachusetts Bay provides this service, and can be contacted at 1-877-U-VOLUNTEER for more information about volunteer opportunities or visit http://uwmb.org/volunteer/index.html Advocacy Campaigns Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) seeks to train and organize the communities of Greater Boston across all religious, racial, ethnic, class and neighborhood lines for the public good. Member organizations are drawn from geographic, ethnic, and faith communities, and currently advocate on Affordable Housing, Immigrant Rights, and the quality of nursing home facilities for inhabitants and employees. For information about involvement in GBIO, please contact the JCRC at 617-457-8600. JCRC has a guide on How to Advocate for Government Programs and Legislation. For a more extensive description of how to lobby specifically from a faith perspective, and for information about the Massachusetts legislative process, see the advocacy guide produced by Faith Into Action Together (F.I.A.T.), a program of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless. For a copy of the advocacy guide or to discuss becoming a part of JCRC’s synagogue legislative advocacy network, contact JCRC at 617-457-8600. The Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, (JALSA) provides information and connects the Boston Jewish community on justice campaigns around the areas of civil rights and liberties. The JALSA website can be found at http://www.jewishalliance.org/. To stay updated on current affairs, sign up for the JCRC Government Affairs’ regular e-mail update, the Jewish Community’s State House Action Alert. Send an e-mail to governmentaffairs@jcrcboston.org with the title “Sign up-State House Action Alert” and include your name and contact information in the body.